6 ways to lead like a mother lionOn a trip to the Serengeti, Beth Armknecht Miller spotted a lioness caring for her cubs -- and showcasing some key skills every business leader needs. A lioness models good hunting techniques for her cubs, watches them carefully while allowing them space to fail, and rewards their successes. "One of the primary roles a leader has is to develop her team to their full potential. And on the plains of the Serengeti, eating and being aware of your surroundings are critical to survival," Miller writes. Great Leadership
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How to tap your workers' hidden talentsMore than six out of 10 American workers surveyed say they feel underutilized in their jobs, but how can bosses uncover their teams' hidden talents and put them to better use? Laura Vanderkam advises spending time getting to know your workers, being more open to the initiatives they suggest and pushing people to take more responsibility for their projects. CBS MoneyWatch
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Strategic Management

For Amazon, selling stuff is going out of styleAlmost four out of every 10 products sold on Amazon last year weren't actually sold by Amazon, but rather by third-party sellers piggybacking on the company's website and distribution infrastructure. That's an attractive proposition for Amazon, since it allows the company to avoid worrying about inventory without incurring costs. That means Amazon is becoming "a platform for stuff -- an API for the material world," argues Marcus Wohlsen. Wired.com
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Can the NFL survive concussion lawsuits?Former Princeton quarterback Gene Locks is suing the National Football League on behalf of 4,000 former players who say they suffered life-altering brain damage while playing football. The suit highlights the NFL's negligence but shouldn't destroy the league, especially given its lucrative locked-in broadcasting contracts, Locks says. "I'm a businessman," he explains. "You can make a business model for what this costs the league on an annual basis over the years and negotiate a reasonable payout to the former players who develop problems." Bloomberg Businessweek
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Innovation and Creativity

Innovation lessons from Grand Central StationGrand Central Station is one of New York City's most enduring landmarks -- and also one of its most innovative, writes author Sam Roberts. The station was conceived by William Wilgus, who pioneered the use of air rights to develop the space above a dusty, goat-infested railyard. "It would take a stubborn visionary to recognize that this blighted swath of Midtown could be converted into an iconic 140-foot wide canyon bordered by brick, steel, and glass skyscrapers," Roberts writes. FastCoCreate
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The Global Perspective

Why smart investors should look to NigeriaLooking to strike it rich in Africa? Manu Chandaria, CEO of Kenya's Comcraft Group conglomerate, recommends starting out in Nigeria, which is increasingly stable, wealthy and densely populated. "If I have an appetite that is big enough, I'd go to Nigeria," he says. "...I would go there if I had the capacity to handle that large market." Knowledge@Wharton
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Engage. Innovate. Discuss.

Learn to kick the job stress habitResearch shows job burnout increases the chances of developing heart disease or having a stroke, so take steps to turn down the stress, Ben Fanning writes. "Question whether you really have to watch the news on TV every night or whether spending some quiet time with music or reading might be preferable," he writes. "Just turning ... the intensity down a notch can make a big difference." SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership
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Daily Diversion

Spooks dish dirt to pulp-fiction novelistFor the past half-century, French novelist Gérard de Villiers has been churning out pulp espionage novels, but not all of his fanciful plot twists are entirely fictional. Real-life spies and diplomats are fans of De Villiers' work and often give him detailed information about their operations. That means some of his nearly 200 books have proven strangely prophetic: One recent work anticipated the Benghazi attack, while another predicted the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
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